Date set for inspectors v. Oyster Bay suit

A judge Friday set Nov. 3 as the next court date for hearing a request on an injunction on Oyster Bay’s proposed policy assigning private electrical inspectors to building projects.

State Supreme Court Justice Thomas Adams gave the parties in the case — the electrical inspectors and the town — a deadline of Nov. 3 to submit papers. He also continued a stay preventing the town from adopting the policy change until the hearing.

The inspectors argue that Oyster Bay doesn’t have the power to tell property owners or their contractors which company they must use for electrical inspections.

Every other Long Island town without its own inspectors keeps a list of approved firms from which project applicants can choose. The inspections are required before a town will issue a certificate of occupancy for a building project.

Town officials say they are in a better position to protect residents’ interest in obtaining quality, reasonably priced electrical inspections. While the town initially said it would randomly assign companies to projects, it said that because of the criticism it will review the new policy.